As the study noted, music is already played in operating theatres as a matter of course by most doctors and nurses — about two-thirds, as it turns out. Participants said that listening to music reduced stress and made them feel more relaxed. Patients also reported that music played before their surgeries reduced stress levels. Almost all the respondents preferred classical music of some kind, with a slight preference for Mozart piano sonatas. Classical music was used in six of the studies, and music of choice in the others. – Ludwig Van
Blog
Ten Top New Museums Of 2019
These ten museums opened in 2019. We’re not saying they’re the best, but they sure are fun buildings to look at. – Dezeen
At Putin’s Request, Russia’s Major Museums Are Opening Regional Satellites
The Hermitage in St. Petersburg has just opened a branch in Omsk, the Pushkin in Moscow is setting up in Samara and Nizhny Novgorod, and both museums are making plans to open outposts in Yekaterinburg. Similar plans are in the works from Kaliningrad (wedged between Poland and Lithuania) to Tomsk in Siberia to Khabarovsk in the Far East and (especially) Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan. – The Art Newspaper
NPR Changes The Formula For What It Charges Local Stations
Among stations with annual membership income above $4 million, the median change in fees is a 9% increase, according to NPR; among stations with income below $250,000, an 8% decline. – Current
‘The Inheritance’ Was A Huge Success In London, So Why Isn’t It Catching On In New York?
Isaac Butler: “Usually when a piece from the U.K. fails to resonate in the U.S. (or vice versa), we can chalk it up to intangible cultural differences between our two countries and their famous separation by a common language. But this was an American play, with a mostly American cast, about New York City, the AIDS crisis, gay history, and what members of a community owe to each other. Why has it ended up struggling so much over here? The answer is partly political, … [but] more deadly, I think, are basic problems of playwriting craft: If The Inheritance is failing to connect, it is because its structure as a work of drama is unsound.” – Slate
Brazilian Film Industry Suffering Under Bolsonaro Government
Brazilian cinema – put on the map by global hits such as City of God and Aquarius – has suffered a succession of blows since Bolsonaro took office in January, from a general lack of interest in the arts to more pointed attacks on films dealing with themes such as sexual diversity and race. – The Guardian
World’s Tallest Ballet Dancer, Fabrice Calmels, Is Leaving Joffrey After 19 Years
“I think I’m at the top of my game. I’m not retiring, I’m not doing this because of health. And I love teaching and coaching.” And, while he loves Chicago, he’s moving to L.A. “First of all, California is warmer, and I need that for a little while. Also California makes sense because a lot of things that I want to do could be movie-related. I also feel like it’s far away from ballet … and I like that challenge.” – Pointe Magazine
Fiction Versus Fake News
“Fake news stories have proved irresistible for readers. Studies have shown that people spread false news on Twitter six times faster than news that is true. Unlike novels, which create complex narratives that take time to consume and understand, fake news delivers ready-made conclusions to consumers with little or no context. These are sensational bits of information that do not provide nuance and do not invite interrogation.” – Columbia Journalism Review
Native American Languages Are Disappearing. There’s A Bill In Congress That Can Help Preserve Them.
“On Monday, in a small step to preserve this tradition, the House passed the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act, named after the legendary Tewa linguist. With the Senate vote already in the bank, the measure is headed to President Trump’s desk. Like a variety of other set-term appropriation bills, the legislation, which was first passed under George W. Bush in 2006, has to be renewed by Congress every five years to maintain the funding. And like so many other necessary pieces of legislation, it is still deficient.” – The New Republic
The Truth About Facts (And Checking Them)
The great truth of fact-checking: while facts are sacred to writers, readers, and, above all, editors, they are sometimes more work than they’re worth. The importance of fact-checking—particularly when it comes to inconsequential detail—is based on the long-held theory that if you’re fastidious about the little things, the reader will trust you with the big things. But the history of fact-checking suggests that too often, the accumulation of verifiable minutiae can become an end unto itself. – Columbia Journalism Review